Compromise talks among the pan-democratic camp on tactics for contesting the five 'super seats' in September's Legislative Council election are likely to prove futile, a veteran lawmaker says.
Leung Yiu-chung, a Neighbourhood and Workers' Service Centre lawmaker since 1998, says the only viable solution is for the camp to put forward one single list as it attempts to win three of the five seats available in a city-wide ballot.
But it is unlikely that the remaining members of the camp will agree, with the Democratic Party planning to put forward two lists and the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood also hoping to put forward a slate.
The pan-democrats are due to hold another strategy meeting today, after talks last Wednesday agreed to target three seats and to set up a screening mechanism to pick the candidates.
The Democrats want to field high-profile lawmaker James To Kun-sun and Kwai Tsing district councillor Andrew Wan Siu-kin. The ADPL's Frederick Fung Kin-kee has also signalled an interest in running and wants the camp to run three separate lists, while the Civic Party is considering fielding a candidate.
To and Fung are expected to be the camp's top two candidates if a deal can be agreed.
But Leung said his party would not join any screening mechanism 'unless they draw lots to pick the third candidate'. Leung wants to field his protege Wong Yun-tat for the 'super seat'.
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